However Mrs May hit out at her rivals yesterday in a televised interview, telling them she was “irritated” the focus was on her leadership and not Brexit.

Some ERG MPs think Boris would have made a strong leader (Image: GETTY)

During a BBC interview to mark the six-month countdown to Brexit, Mrs May was asked if she would reassure the Conservative party she was not determined to continue her job.

She told BBC Panorama's Inside No 10: Deal or No Deal?: "I get a little bit irritated but this debate is not about my future, this debate is about the future of the people of the UK and the future of the United Kingdom.

"That's what I'm focused on and that's what we should all be focused on.

"It's ensuring that we get that good deal from the European Union which is good for people in the UK, wherever they live in the UK, that's what's important for us.”